Okay, I'm set with airline tickets, hotel reservations, now need some recommendations for NOLA restaurants on Turkey Day(don't need the traditional)...just wonder what will be or not be open. Acme Oyster Bar sounds fun for lunch, but what for dinner? Any tips or advice for our short stay? Happy travels, all!

Opinions from my first time to NO, my husband's 3rd or 4th...

We spent last Thanksgiving in New Orleans and had a BLAST. On T'giving Day itself, we walked into brunch at "Brennan's: we had no reservations, arrived about 10:30-11:00am, and they couldn't have been nicer. Gave us a window table overlooking the courtyard, got 5-star service, etc. It was *definitely* the most we've ever considered spending for breakfast/ brunch, but we had such a good time! Great food, bloody marys, etc.

Left there and took the trolley through the garden district. On the return trip, we got off the trolley at the park (jeez, I just forgot the name...across from Tulane?) and wandered around there for awhile, then got back on the trolley and got off again at the stop where most of the *famous/ historic houses were, and wandered around those areas. The Ann Rice house was swamped!

Anyway, we had one of our best Thanksgiving days ever: no turkey was ever seen. We stayed at the Omni New Orleans, which was great. Acme Oyster Bar for dinner our first night was fabulous: was most impressed with our waiter, who "worked" with us when we wanted "a few more shrimp and oysters," so he ordered us a combo po'boy (shrimp/ oyster, separated bec/ I'm allergic to shrimp), "hold the bread." Perfect.

Bourbon St was alive and happening T'giving nght (scored lots of beads!); we LOVED getting lubricated at the Carousel Bar in the Monteleone Hotel.

Only "beware" is that I think this is the annual time of the "Bayou Classic" football game; I thought it was great to have so many people in town to make it a party, but that means more people for hotels, restaurants, etc.

Many other great NO @ Thanksgiving experiences, if anyone's interested.

Great description of your NO Thanksgiving adventures, msmiller! Tell me more! I'm looking forward to a "food", oops, I mean a "good" time!

Msmiller, Are the tourist tours operating on Thanksgiving Day? We're interested in city tours,cemetery tours, etc. We might be there from Mon-Thurs. What was the weather like? Thanks for your great info!

I am also interested in recommendations for Thanksgiving dinner (mid day or evening). I don't want to do Emerils or any of the trendy expensive places, and was wondering if there are any plantation or country places that have special Thanksgiving dinners?

Vera

Topping to see if anyone has a recommendation for plantation or country Inn type place for Thanksgiving dinner? If not--where would you go in FQ or Downtown? Natives--anyplace traditionally have a special Thanksgiving?
Vera

Thanksgiving in the New Orleans area is traditionally all about football and going hunting. In tourism terms, it's all about the Bayou Classic, and everything will be catering to the folks who are in town for it. The hotel bars will be very crowded.

It's a little early for the Thanksgiving menus to be out, but check Gambit's webpage starting after Nov. 1st; they usually publish a list.

Thanks for the input. I'll check when it's early November...